Come Clean
by Rellik 01011993
Summary: Brian is unwillingly undercover and finally manages to break free. The Toretto team absorb the new info in surprising ways. Probably eventual Dom/Brian. Reviews always welcome.
1. Chapter 1

Brian walked into the diner and sat at his usual chair, waiting patiently for his usual tuna sandwich. When Mia set the plate down in front of him she bit back a curse. "Jesus, Brian, what happened to you?" she asked, rushing to grab a bag of frozen peas that she kept just for this use. She'd never used frozen peas in the diner in her life, other than for a cold compress on the boys after they'd gotten themselves into a fight.

He shrugged slowly, careful of his ribs, and wiping blood from his split lip. "Someone disagreed with my morals." He answered slowly, warily watching Dom come out from his office.

Strong arms crossed over a singlet covered chest. "What morals are those?" Dom asked curiously, brow raised to prompt an answer.

Brian took a deep breath, as deep as he could with broken ribs anyway. "I _was_ undercover for the cops, under duress. They didn't think I'd learn anything from them while I was forced to work with them, but I picked up a few things. Like the fact they were breaking god knows how many laws to blackmail me into going undercover. Made sure they're case against you was as bogus as I thought and then I handed in my resignation."

"And your face?" Dom prompted, his voice an angry growl as he stepped closer and realised just how much damage there was. Brian had obviously put himself on the line for the Toretto's, and even if he hadn't, Dom felt protective of the blond.

Brian shrugged one shoulder. "Cops and FBI don't like it when you don't play their game. Especially when you're the best undercover they've got and you tell them to shove it." There wasn't an ounce of ego in that statement, just statement of plain fact. Dom could see how the kid would be a good undercover – seeing as his life before the police had been just that.

Dom stared for so long that Brian started to squirm. "You said you were undercover under _duress_. How long have you been working for them, and what do they have on you?" Mia asked softly, hoping to distract from Dom's intent stare.

"When I was nineteen my best friend got done for grand theft. A week later the cops came knocking at my door, telling me that the guy had died of a heart attack when Rome 'jacked his car. Said they could stitch him up for murder one…unless I helped them out…" Brian shrugged awkwardly. "At the time I thought it was going to be just the one job, undercover until I could get enough for them to bust a drug cartel. But one job led to another led to another…I haven't been out for more than a day or two at a time since."

Mia grimaced, hating to think of a nineteen year old Brian working his way into a drug cartel. "And your friend? Rome? Did they let him off like they said they would?"

Brian nodded slowly. "Kind of…they put him under house arrest. Not sure how long he has left, he hasn't talked to me in years." He saw Mia's confusion and his smile turned self-depreciating. "You get done for grand theft and less than a week later your best friend is obviously working for the cops – what conclusions would you draw Mia?"

Dom shook his head, his glare coming back in full force. "It shouldn't fucking matter, he should have talked to you, found out what was going on. Come on, you're coming home to have a shower and let me see how much damage those assholes did." He stalked out of the diner without making sure Brian followed.

Brian glanced at Mia who offered him a gentle smile, he handed the peas back to her before following her brother. He'd never seen Dom quite this mad, but as far as he could tell he wasn't mad _at_ Brian. When he made a move toward his own car, Dom caught his elbow and guided him to his instead. "You're not driving when you've had the shit beat out of you. For all we know you've got a concussion."

Brian shook his head. "No man, no concussion; I don't have any of the symptoms. I won't argue about the driving, but I am fine." He got into the passenger seat, surprised when Dom waited until he settled before shutting his door for him. He'd seen some of the others just as banged up and Dom never seemed to hover so much.

Dom scowled at him when he sat behind the steering wheel. "You are not _fine_." He ground out. He drove in silence for several minutes before he spoke again. "You've been continuously put in danger by dirty cops for their own gain, which you accepted for a friend who cut you off. And now that you've put an end to it after making sure the crew, _my_ family, is safe they beat the ever-loving-shit out of you for your troubles. That is _not_ fine Spilner."

Brian blinked, shocked that Dom was more pissed off about how he'd been treated than the fact he'd been undercover. "O'Connor…my name is Brian O'Connor. Everything else I told you is pretty much true though."

Dom smirked. "That's obvious; no upstanding white kid would get pulled into undercover work by the cops. It was the only option you had, and you couldn't afford to argue or they'd stitch you up too." He shook his head. "Besides, a straight up white kid would not have survived what you've obviously gone through."

Much to Brian's surprise, Dom helped him out of the car once they were parked at the house, kept him in his line of sight as they made their way inside, and insisted on helping him upstairs. All under the gruff pretence of "I don't want you more damaged than you already are, that just means more work to fix you up."

After Brian showered, Dom insisted on checking his wounds; wrapping his broken ribs, cleaning his busted knuckled with antiseptic and getting a new pack of frozen peas for his face. "Glad to see you didn't take this lying down." He murmured while he cleaned the busted knuckles.


	2. Chapter 2

"Why'd you do it Brian? Let them stomp all over you for so long?" Mia asked softly. She hated to see one of her family being mistreated, hated it even more when they were _allowing_ such treatment. They were all fighters in their own way, and to see one of them accepting such treatment was heartbreaking.

He stared intently at the beer in his hands for so long that she thought he wasn't going to reply. He didn't lift his eyes when he started to talk, or move a muscle. He sat perfectly still, refusing to look at her while he spoke of his past. "My life before…it wasn't exactly the greatest Mia. Working under cover, surrounded by those people, I could convince myself that I wasn't one of them, that the cops forced me there. Convinced myself that if I had the chance, I'd have better people around me, that I'd be a better person. But if I pulled out and went home…what I had waiting there was as bad as any drug cartel or sex trafficking ring, and that would have been my choice."

Mia pulled him into a hug. They weren't much for hugging in her family, but this time she couldn't hold back. Couldn't stop herself from trying to offer some kind of comfort. "So why did you finally pull out? What gave you the motivation?" she asked softly.

He shrugged his shoulders, embarrassed to have to tell anyone about this. "Everyone they've sent me after so far have been gangs or cartels. But you guys? You guys are a family, a good one. You look out for each other in a way I've never seen before. I couldn't help them stitch you guys up, cos that's what they were trying to do. So I checked what they had on you guys and I bailed."

"What are you going to do? You're not planning to go home, are you?" she leant back, realising he was uncomfortable with the extended hug. The thought of him returning to a family that he compared to drug cartels and sex traffickers made her heart clench.

He started picking at the label on his beer. "Not too sure. I'll have to talk to Harry I suppose, tell him the real story and see if he'd consider keeping me on…at least until I've got a bit of cash saved up." He stared out into the street. "Might try to get in touch with Rome, see if he'd let me visit him."

The screen door slammed open beside Mia and Dom stormed out. "Like hell you will. There's enough work at the garage to put on another mechanic full time. There's a spare room here, so you won't even have to go looking for an apartment." Brian stared, wide eyed, for a moment before opening his mouth to argue. "Don't know if you've realised this or not yet, O'Connor, but this family sticks close by. The others live elsewhere because they choose to, but you need a safe place to stay for a while. Somewhere we can watch your back against police retribution. You'll stay with us."

Brian stared at Dom for a moment. "You need to tell the others, they deserve to know." When Dom started to shake his head Brian stood. "They have the right to know what I was; you're letting me into their lives as much as your own." He murmured before heading into the kitchen and starting on dinner.

x x x

Jesse came into the house early the next morning to find Brian making breakfast. "Woah, man, what are you doing here this early? No one ever beats me here." He leant against the doorjamb and crossed his arms when he saw Brian jump slightly.

Brian shook his head slightly. "I didn't beat you here Jesse, I slept on the couch." Dom had told him he would tell the crew as soon as he could, but Brian didn't intend to lie to them in the meantime. He'd had more than enough of lying to these people.

"Oh dude, are you in trouble with Dom or something?" Jesse asked quietly, pulling a face at the thought of ever being in trouble with Dom. "Knew you guys would get together eventually, but I didn't think he'd put you on the couch so soon!"

Brian turned to stare at the young tech. "Umm, I had a few too many beers last night and they let me crash here…" he explained slowly, still staring at Jesse in shock.

Jesse's eyes widened as realisation dawned. "Aw shit…" before he could say anything else or retreat from the kitchen, Dom came in from the back yard, taking in Brian's look of utter shock and Jesse's stunned embarrassment.

"Jesse, you gonna tell me how you put your foot in it this time?" he asked with a chuckle. When Jesse didn't reply he turned to look at Brian who shook his head and went back to cooking. "Come on Jesse, out back, you can tell me in the garage." He could see that Jesse didn't want to repeat what he'd said in front of both himself and Brian, and that Brian would flat out refuse to repeat what he'd heard.

Jesse picked up and put down several tools before slowly turning to face Dom. "Out with it Jesse, what'd you say?" Dom asked quietly. He had learnt over the years that yelling never worked on Jesse, it would silence him faster than anything else.

He chewed his thumbnail, staring worriedly at Dom. "I asked him how he beat me here and he said he hadn't, said he slept on the couch." Dom leant back against a workbench and nodded to encourage him to keep talking. "And I…ah…I might have said something about being in trouble with you and being exiled to the couch…" he winced, staring at Dom with wide eyes.

Dom frowned at Jesse. "Why would you say something like that to him Jesse?" he asked quietly, forcing himself to keep calm. Jesse was comfortable with them all now, but he still startled easily.

Jesse bit his lip. "Umm, cos we've been running bets on how long it would take you guys…" he grimaced again, hoping he hadn't just seriously pissed Dom off. Or ruined his chance of winning the bet by triggering Dom's ridiculous stubborn streak.

Instead, the bald man merely shook his head and pulled Jesse under his arm. "It's gonna be a while yet, Jess, Brian has some stuff to work out. In the meantime, bite your tongue when it comes to the innuendoes, yeah?"

Jesse stared up at Dom as he led them out of the garage. "You mean…? You mean, when he gets himself organised, you'll…?" Dom could tell from the tone of voice that Jesse was excited by this news.

"Maybe, depends how things work out yet kid."


	3. Chapter 3

They were all in the lounge room waiting for breakfast when Dom finally had enough. "O'Connor, you finish making that fancy breakfast yet or what?" he yelled into the kitchen. He didn't care about fancy; he was just hungry and wanted to eat.

As soon as the name slipped through his lips he realised his mistake. A moment later the others were spinning to stare at him and he knew they'd picked up on it. "What did you just call the buster?" Vince asked curiously.

Brian walked into the room, setting down two plates of pancakes on the coffee table before stepping back and crossing his arms. "He called me O'Connor, because that's my name." he answered tensely; he had been hoping to not be around when this conversation went down. His bruises were still black and blue; a beating from anyone would be more painful than he wanted to think about.

"Thought it was _Spilner_?" Vince asked angrily, moving to stand up only to be pushed back down by Dom. When Dom moved to stand next to Brian he relaxed slightly; if Dom planned to show his acceptance, the others might think twice before they reacted.

"You lay one finger on him before I finish explaining this and you're out the front door, you hear me?" Dom asked, staring intently at each member of the team until he got an accepting nod from them all. "Unwillingly, Brian has been undercover for the cops since he was nineteen. He found out that what they had on him to make him go undercover was bogus. They've been looking into us, Brian made sure they couldn't touch us before he bailed."

"You're a narc?!" Vince roared, rolling to his feet and glaring at the blond beside Dom. Letty stepped between Vince and Brian.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing V? Look at his face man! They beat the shit out of him for it, he ain't one of theirs." She spoke softly, learning long ago that making Vince focus on a soft voice was the quickest way to calm him down.

Jesse was staring at Brian in horror. "They do anything else to you for leaving?" he asked worriedly. "You need to go to a hospital?"

Brian shook his head, staring intently at the wall over everyone's heads. "Broke a few ribs, cut me up a bit, but I'm ok…nothing a bit of time won't fix."

Dom turned to stare at Brian. "You didn't say anything about cuts when I brought you back from the diner yesterday…" Brian turned blue eyes to Dom before taking a deep breath and turning around; pulling his shirt off so they could see his shoulders, the word _narc_ was carved messily into his flesh.

"Jesus…" Leon whispered. "Why on earth would they do that to you?" he asked in a whisper. He had been mad at Brian for not having told them sooner, but if he received this treatment for leaving he hated to think what they would have done to him if they thought he had blown a case on purpose.

Brian turned back and offered them a lopsided smile. "It's how the cartels mark out undercovers and rats. They check your shoulders as you go in. If you're in any serious black-market work, you know to check the shoulders. I can't go back to any world I've worked in before, can't go to my family." He shrugged his shoulders. "They've basically cut me off from everything I know."

Jesse had his arms wrapped around his stomach but stepped forward angrily. "No they haven't, not if you stay with us!" He frowned, looking away from Brian. "That is…if you _want_ to stay with us."

Brian smiled at Jesse, pulling his shirt back on. "Thanks Jesse, but it depends on everyone. I get it if you guys don't want me to stay, and I won't stay where I'm not welcome. Not anymore." He glanced at his watch. "Harry will be getting in soon, I've gotta go talk to him. You guys talk it over while I'm gone." He was almost out the front door before Dom called out to him.

"Your car is at the diner, how are you getting to Harry's?" he asked with that famous cocked brow. He knew he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Was going to walk…" Brian answered, tucking his hands into his jeans pockets. "I'll pick up the car after I talk to him."

Dom shook his head. "Walk around these streets while the cops are out for your blood? Nah, I'll drive you. Jesse, you're for him staying, right?" the youngest offered an eager nod. "You make sure our side gets argued." He grabbed his keys and ushered Brian out the door.

x x x

They were half way to Harry's when Dom spoke up. "You got a plan on what to tell him? You can't go telling everyone you were undercover, someone will slit your throat."

"I was thinking of telling him most of the truth – someone beat me half to hell and I need time off to heal. I understand that he needs the help, and I've got work lined up at the garage for whenever I'm able to get back to it." He answered slowly, unwilling to let Dom see just how much he'd already considered the dangers. The more Dom saw, the more he'd realise just what Brian had survived, just how much he had fought through. And that was something he didn't really want any of his new family to know, whether he stayed with them or not.

"Sounds good. Once everything is sorted for the day we'll need to check your shoulders, don't want them getting infected. Some looked deep too, you might need some stitches."


	4. Chapter 4

Dom insisted on going with Brian while he talked to Harry. The cops knew about his work with Harry, if they wanted to do more damage they'd know to find him there. Dom wasn't about to leave Brian unguarded and vulnerable; he could barely stand the thought that Brian had been beaten to hell and cut up without any of the team around to back him up.

"You're late Brian." Harry spoke without looking up from his desk, continuing to write whatever it was that he was working on.

"There's a reason for that." Dom's gruff voice didn't do much to hide the barely contained anger as he made his way into Harry's office behind Brian, shutting the door behind them and leaning against a wall.

At the sound of Dom's voice Harry looked up in surprise, which morphed into concern the instant he saw Brian's face. "Jesus Brian, what happened to you?!" he asked, rising from his desk and approaching the younger man. Brian stepped away from Harry before he could get too close, sidling closer to Dom. The fact that he wouldn't let the other man into his personal space stirred contentment and satisfaction in Dom's chest.

"I ran into some trouble." Brian started slowly. "It's going to be a while before I can work again…and the ones that did this know I work here. I'm sorry Harry but I've got to quit, if I come back they'll give you trouble."

Harry grimaced. "Hate to see you go, kid, you're bloody good around here. But I understand. If you change your mind, there's always a place for you here."

Dom smiled, glad to see that Harry appreciated Brian. "You'll still see him around Harry, once he's healed he's going to work in the garage."

"Good, that's good. The boys can watch your back there." Harry shook their hands and ushered them out of the office with encouragements to get Brian home to rest.

x x x

"Thought we were picking my car up while we were out?" Brian asked with a smirk when Dom drove past the diner and his car. He got the feeling Dom wasn't going to let him out of sight for some time; the beating had been the tipping point, the fact cops and FBI agents had done it had cemented the need to keep the blond close. To keep him safe.

"We were…" Dom admitted, grimacing as he glanced over at Brian. "But…they know your car. How do we know they're not looking to beat on you again today? Or shoot you? Vince and Letty will put it in the garage later today." He promised, knowing Brian wouldn't be content to leave his car parked in the street. Brian nodded, comfortable for now to leave Dom the room to be overprotective.

Dom parked the car at the back of the house but made no move to get out. When Brian moved slowly to open his own door, Dom caught his hand to keep him in place. "I know Vince thinks that if they don't want you here you won't be here, but that's not gonna happen."

Brian grimaced, staring intently at the older Torreto. "Dom, they're you're family, you can't disown them all just because of me." He pointed out quietly, no one had ever had his back like this before and he didn't know how to take it.

Dom shook his head. "I won't disown them, but they will get used to the fact that you will be staying. I don't care what they say or how they react, you're staying with us. I'd do almost anything for them, but I won't let them drive away the guy I want to date."

Brian's eyes widened and all he could do was stare. No sarcastic comment, no roll of the eyes or witty comeback. Silence and staring. He had worried that everyone would hate him when they found out he'd been undercover for the cops, especially Dom. But it seemed not only did Dom _not_ hate him, he wanted to date him…and learning what Brian had been hadn't changed his mind about it.

"Come on, let's go see how Jesse's going in the argument." Dom grinned, finally let go of Brian's hand and getting out of the car. It took Brian a few more seconds to snap out of his shock and follow Dom's lead, walking slowly back to the house.

x x x

Brian sat at the kitchen table, listening to the argument in the next room. Vince seemed pretty pissed off, Letty sounded resigned though she was arguing that he should stay, Leon was arguing that Brian's wounds marked him out to be more loyal to them all than anyone else had ever been, Jesse, Mia and Dom were adamant that Brian was staying.

"He's a _cop_! He's been digging through our lives and feeding information back to the _cops_ Dom! We can't trust him!" Vince roared angrily, pacing in the lounge-room. Brian had no doubt that if he were in the other room, Vince would have lashed out at him already.

"He was blackmailed to work undercover for the cops since he was nineteen." Dom corrected in the deep tone that brooked no argument. He'd obviously had enough of talking round in circles and was about to lay down the law, _his_ law. "They beat the ever-loving shit out of him when he bailed on them, _after_ making sure we were safe. You think that sounds like a _cop_? You're fucking confused. Besides, what gives you the right to demand he leave? I didn't say Letty had to leave when you decided to date her, you can't do that to me now."

Tense silence as everyone in the lounge-room realised what Dom had just said. Brian had been claimed and there was nothing any of them could do about it now. If they wanted to hate Brian, they would be hating someone important to Dom. Someone he had _chosen_ to bring into the family even knowing about what Brian had been.

"Well…shit…" Vince grumbled. "Where is the Buster? Best welcome him to the family hey? Yo, Buster! Get in here brother!" Vince bellowed, knowing full well Dom wouldn't have let him stay too far away, given how protective he'd been since Brian had shown up wounded.

Brian made his way into the room and Vince pulled him into a tight hug. "Me and you are going to have words about your old line of work so I can set my mind at ease, but welcome to the family." He grinned when he pulled back. Brian nodded slowly, shocked at the sudden change in the man. Dom had staked his claim and Vince was apparently alright with that.

Mia gasped from behind Brian. "Brian…Dom really needs to see to your shoulders. You're bleeding through your shirt…" She murmured sadly. She hated to think of how badly it had hurt him to have those letters cut into his flesh. The agony he had been in, and thinking he would be cut off from everything he had ever know. Cut off and pushed away from them. And yet he had gone through with it all anyway, defending them and protecting them even if it cost him his place with the family.


	5. Chapter 5

Brian backwards on a chair, his arms resting on the top of the backrest, Dom stood behind him. A bottle of peroxide in one hand, gauze in the other and a grimace on his face. "Brian, some of these look pretty deep…they're going to need stitches."

Brian nodded. "Figured that when they busted open again before, wouldn't have started bleeding again now unless they need stitches. Mia can sew right?" his calm voice made the others, even Vince, burn with rage. It said a lot about how he had been treated for his whole life that he could discuss the mutilation of his back so calmly. And that he hadn't even considered going to a hospital for the stitches.

Dom grit his teeth and took a deep breath. "I was thinking more along the lines of the hospital, or at least a doctor."

They all noticed how Brian tensed before forcing himself to relax. "I don't have the money. Besides, if I can walk into either under my own power, I'm not going."

Mia sat down in front of him at stared at him in concern, reaching out and laying a hand on top of his crossed arms. "Brian? What do you mean _if you can walk into either under your own power_? And why wouldn't you go to a doctor when you obviously need help?"

He was silent for so long that they thought he wouldn't reply, but when he realised they really wanted to know, that they really cared, he took a deep breath and explained. "Hospitals and doctors have never been my favourite thing, even when I was a kid. They ask questions about things you can't answer," he tapped at a few faded circular scars on his arms, cigarette burns from long ago. "And look at you like trash when you give them an answer they know is a lie, but what the hell else can you say. I've taken three people to hospital myself…they never came back out. Not the front doors anyway." He fell silent, staring into space.

"But you'll go when you can't get there under your own power?" Jesse asked, confused about what Brian meant.

Brian blinked and turned to fix Jesse with smiling blue eyes. "I've been to hospital four times since I was nineteen. The first time was when Rome found out I was working for the cops…he wasn't too happy with me, but I wasn't about to hit him back. Then when a drug cartel tried to kill me by overdose, the cop who was my _handler_ found me unconscious in an alley and took me to hospital. Another time I got shot…" he frowned in thought for a moment. "six times, a friend I'd made while I was undercover took me in that time. Raided my phone while I was in surgery to find my handler's number and demand they put guards on my room."

Leon frowned, stepping closer to the blond. "That's only three times Brian, what happened the fourth time?" his voice was soft, as it always was, but even Brian could pick up on the worry.

"I…uh…I was working undercover…something about the background story the cops had given me didn't sit right with the guys I was working on though…they thought I was with another gang. Sent me over to their territory to see what would happen."

Dom swore under his breath, his hands gentle as they drew patterns on Brian's uninjured back. "How bad was it?" the touches continued.

Brian shrugged his shoulders, staring at the wall. "They didn't shoot me or stab me or anything like that, so it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been."

Leon looked to Dom and met his grimace and worried look with his own. There was only one reason they could both think of as to why Brian wouldn't answer the question outright, seeing as he'd been willing enough to answer before. Dom wrapped his arms around Brian's middle, resting his chin on top of his shoulder, while being careful to avoid his wounds. "Brian…I need you to tell me how bad it was."

Given that this was the first intimate contact the guys had had, as far as everyone knew, they were shocked when Brian closed his eyes and tilted his head so it was resting against Dom's cheek. "I was in a medical induced coma for four months." He finally answered slowly. "When they brought me out of it I woke to find a couple of the gang members watching over me, and wondering why the hell the cops had been visiting. They'd been worried they were going to lose me, and any chance of closing that case, so they visited often and almost blew my cover."

Vince stared at the guy for a long moment before stepping forward slightly. "Another bad experience in a hospital, and another bad time with the cops." He was starting to consider just how many different undercover assignments Brian would have had over the years. It seemed the cops had always treated him like shit, but he'd continued to toe the line and do as they told him. It wasn't until they sent him in against the team that he finally decided enough was enough. Vince started to see that Brian had had plenty of reason to bail in the past, but he hadn't until he had the motivation of protecting people he was loyal to.

Brian's eyes widened in shock as he realised Vince was actually sympathising with him…a little. He turned to look at Mia. "If it won't upset you too much, I'd rather stay here and have you stitch me up. But if you don't want to, I get it." He offered quietly, not wanting to make her do something she didn't want to do.

Letty shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Mia's barely ever touched a needle and thread, she'll make a mess of you. My grandmother made me sit down and learn to sew, because _a young lady is a disgrace on her family if she can't sew a neat stitch_ …" she glared at Jesse when he let out a guffaw of amusement. "Shut up Jess, she gave up eventually. Sometime after the tenth time she caught me sneaking home covered in engine grease she realised I was never gonna be what she wanted, so she gave up." She eyes Brian warily, she knew they didn't have the best interactions so far, and that he had no reason to trust her. "I'll be as neat as I can and I won't make it hurt on purpose, what do you say?" she offered quietly.

Much to her surprise, he offered her an open smile and nodded his assent easily, barely even pausing to consider her offer. "Thanks Letty, I really appreciate that." She couldn't detect any sarcasm or dishonesty in his tone or expression, he truly meant what he said. Apparently he didn't hold any of her previous comments against her.

"Alright, the rest of you go find something else to amuse yourselves with." Dom ordered. "Letty I'll go find some dental floss, Mia will grab a needle…is there anything else you reckon you'll need?" he asked, suddenly unsure of himself. Sure, he'd patched more than his fair share of wounds, but he'd never seen home stitching on flesh before. Everyone else let him drag them to a doctor of some sort when stitches came into the conversation.

"Just the peroxide to clean everything I guess, but Brian might appreciate some alcohol…" Letty suggested thoughtfully. She knew some doctors didn't use locals, but those guys were working with proper thread and a sharper needle. Brian was not being treated to the best of circumstances to start with.

Brian shook his head quickly. "Alcohol thins the blood. I know I'm not likely to bleed out from what's on my shoulders, but everything will probably work out better if I just steer clear of alcohol for now."

x x x

Dom set the dental floss on the table beside the needles Mia had been able to find. He turned Brian's chair so he could sit in front of him with them facing each other. "Are you sure you wanna do it like this? I'll take you to any hospital or doctor you want and not leave your side the whole time if that's what you want."

Brian smiled patiently at Dom, warily reaching out to lay his hand on Dom's forearm. Dom may have lay claim to him and held him earlier, but he had always been wary of truly being emotionally close to people. It never seemed to work out in his favour. He just hoped that this time was different. "I know this way is going to hurt but…I'd rather deal with the pain of stitches than go to a hospital, alright?" He just hoped Dom would realise this hadn't been a rash decision; he'd weighed the physical pain against the stress of going to a hospital. It hadn't been a difficult decision.


	6. Chapter 6

Dom watched tensely while Lettie started the first stitch. The needle wasn't as sharp as a doctor's would have been and he hated to think of how much more it had to hurt. He made a mental note to track down some better medical supplies as soon as he could; if Brian insisted on home doctoring they could at least get him better equipment. Lettie was apologising for what must have been the fiftieth time and she wasn't even through the 'N' on his back, Dom didn't miss Brian's eye roll.

"Lettie, it's going to hurt, but it's not your fault. Quit worrying so much would you?" Brian admonished quietly, and only now that he was talking Dom noticed he was forcing his breathing pattern to be deep and slow, forcing himself to keep calm.

Two hours later with a large patch of gauze taped across his shoulders, Brian slowly forced himself to his feet, seemingly surprised to find Dom right beside him with an arm around his waist. "Come on, I'll help you upstairs, guessing you want to rest a while…"Dom offered quietly.

xxx

It had been a week and a half since Lettie stitched Brian's shoulders back together, and he was standing angrily in the middle of the lounge room. "Dom, the others wanted to go racing, what's wrong? Why aren't you with them?"

"Leave you here on your own? Where the cops are bound to have figured you're staying?" He shook his head. "You're just starting to heal, I'm not leaving you by yourself for the cops to find." He ground out. And it was true, since he'd shown up at the diner he hadn't been alone. One of the others was always around somewhere, usually in addition to Dom. It warmed him to know that he had people who wanted to protect him, keep him safe. It had been a long time since he'd had anything like it.

"So let's go. You can sit on the sidelines and watch all night if you want, or you can race and I'll stick close by the others, but you need to get out of the house Dom. Hell, _I_ need to get out of the house." He took Dom's hand in his and tugged gently toward the door. He was slowly getting used to touching the other man, no longer shy of taking his hand or leaning against him.

During his week and a half of house-bound recovery Dom had taken to touching him any chance he got. In the kitchen he'd walk too close and brush up against him, in the evenings when Brian was tiring he'd find himself gently moulded to Dom's side on the couch, there was a careful hand at the small of his back most times he went upstairs, an arm around his waist and hand on his hip at the barbeque with the addition of lips against his ear as Dom murmured to him, and most mornings there were gentle fingers carding through his hair to wake him for breakfast.

When Dom hesitated Brian stepped back into his personal space. "If anything makes you worry you can call it quits at any time, no explanation needed, but we both need to get out of the house Dom." He stared up into hesitant eyes and waited for Dom to agree or tell him what was bothering him.

His answer came in the form of action rather than words to start with. Dom's lips brushing against his for the first time as his hands settled on Brian's hips. "Leaving the house isn't going to change any of this." He murmured, pulling back just far enough to be able to speak. And Brian realised what he was worried about; they hadn't been out together since before Dom lay claim to him. Dom was worrying that Brian would cringe away from him in front of others.

Brian leant into Dom's chest, tucking his nose into the taller man's neck. "Our people are happy with us, anyone else doesn't matter. As long as it's within the limits of public decency, I won't ever shun your touch in front of others." He placed a kiss at the base of Dom's neck and pulled back. "Now, can we go watch the races?"

xxx

They were lounging against Dom's car, Dom's hand placed firmly on Brian's hip, laying claim. As soon as Dom had parked the others materialised around them, happy to see them both out of the house. "Didn't think you were coming tonight." Mia commented to Dom.

Dom nodded slowly, watching as two cars lined themselves up for the next race. One he knew, and one he didn't recognise at all, it made him tense. "We weren't…" Mia smiled, happy to see her brother where he belonged, and excited that he was part of an intimate 'we'.

"So, Brian, when are you moving into Dom's room so that we can crash on an actual spare bed again?" Jesse asked casually, watching Brian flush and Dom's spare arm wrap around his waist.

Dom scowled at the tech genius. "Whenever he wants to, but not because you all guilted him into it." Turning his head to murmur reassurance into Brian's ear, he didn't see the stranger approaching, only alerted to the new presence when Brian tensed.

"Yo B, I been looking for you man." A cocky grin and a slow swagger, not realising or not noticing the people around Brian tensing and stepping closer to the blond.

Brian eyed the guy warily. "Rome, there a reason you wanted to see me all of a sudden?" he asked tensely, leaning into Dom's side and laying his hand over the larger one on his hip, taking comfort from his new family.

Everyone else tensed at the name. They'd only heard it the one time, but it was obviously etched into their minds. "Yeah, _Rome_ , there a reason you're only just now coming to see Brian?" Vince stepped forward angrily, glaring at the other man.

Rome glanced around at the angry faces before looking back to Brian. "I got news, can I talk to you for a minute." Brian nodded but made no move to walk away from the people around him. "Ahhh, probably alone would be better."

Brian shook his head. "Don't need to be alone from these guys. Probably should talk somewhere more private than here though, if it's stuff other people shouldn't be overhearing." He eyed Rome for a moment, knowing the others wouldn't want him knowing where they lived. "Toretto's Garage and Diner, meet us there tomorrow."

Rome took his time eyeing the people surrounding Brian. It was new, seeing Brian with a group around him. He had always been the loner time when they were young, it made Rome wonder just what the Toretto crew had done to get Brian to hang around them. He nodded slowly, stepping back away from the group, he'd heard plenty about the Toretto's since he got to town less than 12 hours ago. It would be easy enough to find their place he was sure. "Yeah alright, I'll see you tomorrow B."

Just as he was about to turn and walk away Brian straightened slightly. "Oh and Rome? You cause any trouble for these guys, I'll put _you_ in the hospital this time." The reference to the last time they had seen each other made Rome cringe inside. Whether Brian had been willingly working for the cops or not, he shouldn't have treated his friend that way, and he was starting to hear whispers that lead him to believe that Brian had been telling him the truth all along.


	7. Chapter 7

Brian burrowed back under the covers, nuzzling his face into the warmth of Dom's neck. He'd been tense after they got home from the races the night before, and Dom had brought him to his room so they could talk. So he could calm the blond down from his anger and hold him through the night. Dom had been happy to find out that although Brian was still wary of instigating touches in the open, he was more than happy to cuddle up against the big man under blankets.

"Worrying isn't going to do shit about whatever it is Rome's come to say, so could you _please_ relax a bit? A tense pillow is an uncomfortable pillow. It's not even light out, way too early to be awake." Brian grumbled into Dom's neck.

Dom tightened his hold around Brian's waist, chuckling. "You haven't even cracked your eyes open, how do you know it's not midday?" he asked, hoping to take both their minds off of Brian's childhood friend and might have brought him to LA.

"It feels like night-time, and the house sounds like night-time." He felt Dom look down at him. "I worked undercover for years Dom, knowing how a place sounds at all times of the day is important. Sometimes it gives you that split second longer to get your ass out of a bad situation because you heard the sounds were off."

Dom considered his words for a moment, wondering whether this was dangerous territory he was about to venture into. "Were all of the places that dangerous all the time?" He felt Brian shake his head against his chest.

"Not all of them, but most of them were. And the safe ones weren't really safe because if someone found out who I really was I'd be dead. I had to keep an ear out regardless of whether or not I _felt_ safe, cos that could change in a heartbeat." He hummed happily against Dom's neck. "And then I came here and it was family and you guys accepted me."

Dom pressed a kiss into the blond curls. "Still sucks you had the crap beaten out of you just so you could join us properly, but I am glad you chose us." He still couldn't believe that Brian had gone against the cops and the feds so he could be a part of their family. That he had willingly taken a beating for them.

Brian finally lifted his head and stared intently at Dom. "It was totally worth it." Someone banging on their door had him twitching in a way Dom would have found funny if he didn't know about Brian's past.

"Yo Dom, Mia says to tell you breakfast is ready." Vince yelled through the closed door. "Hurry it up guys, we're _hungry_!" loud footsteps down the stairs told them he'd gone back to the kitchen.

Brian sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Breakfast is not usually this early…is it?" he'd gotten used to the hours everyone kept over the last week, but realised they could have just been trying to accommodate him while he was healing. He hoped to the car gods that this was no their usual breakfast time.

Dom chuckled, shaking his head as he dug out an old shirt for Brian and tossed it to him. His smile slipped from his lips as he watched Brian remove yesterday's wrinkled t-shirt to pull on the fresh one. He was a rainbow of bruises of varying colours, not to mention the angry mess his shoulders were while they struggled to heal against the damage done to them. Brian glanced up in time to see the haunted look in Dom's eyes and was standing before the big man quicker than he thought possible.

"It'll all fade in time, some of it will scar but there's nothing that will hurt me once it's healed." He stepped in close and wrapped his arms around Dom's waist. "I happily took this on, all of this, when I thought you all would want nothing to do with me after I told you. Instead, you lay claim to me, Letty stitched my shoulders, Jesse argued with the others for me to stay and even Vince came around. You see how this is far better than anything I'd hoped for? I thought I'd be healing up in some flea town motel."

xxx

Everyone was in the kitchen when they walked in. "Good, now we can eat and head into the garage early in case the grinner from yesterday shows up early." Vince said eagerly.

Jesse watched Brian for a moment before stepping in closer to him. "He won't cause you any trouble…will he Brian?" he didn't want to see Brian hurt in any way, he'd already been injured and mistreated enough through his life, he didn't deserve more.

Brian shook his head. "Rome is more the beat-you-to-the-ground-when-he's-angry type, and if he's still angry and wants to beat on me…he won't do it while I'm this injured."

"Won't do it _at all_ you mean." Leon grumbled from the other side of the table. Brian was starting to move easier, he didn't want that progress taken away anytime soon. He sure as hell didn't want some stranger from Brian's past screwing things up.

"Whatever he came here for, we'll all be there." Mia piped up, laying food on the table. Bacon and eggs, pancakes and waffles, toast, Brian had never seen so much breakfast food in his life as he had in the last week. Dark, emotional eyes held his pale blue gaze. "You don't have to go through this or anything else alone again Brian. You have family now."

xxx

It was almost midday and Jesse and Vince were getting antsy from waiting on Rome for so long. "I told you all before we left the house that he doesn't wake up til noon." Brian grumbled from an office chair in the corner of the garage. As soon as he'd been able to convince Dom earlier in the week to let him come into garage during the day, he'd taken up residence on the chair, pushing himself around on the tiny wheels so he could watch and chat to different members of the family as they worked.

Before either of them could reply, there was a noise from the front of the shop. "Hello? Anybody home?!" Rome yelled from the diner entrance.

Vince stormed into the diner, and came back into the garage just as quickly with Rome following along like a curious puppy. By the look on Vince's face, Brian was surprised he didn't have Rome by the ear. "Now B, I can totally get behind this! Cars _and_ food all in one location, man have you got it made!" When he made a move to get into Brian's personal space, probably for a hug, Dom got in his way.

"Want to explain what the hell you're doing here, _homeboy_?" his tone did nothing to mask the anger boiling in his eyes.

Rome glanced from Brian to Dom and back again, surprised that the big guy was protecting Brian so obviously. "I bumped into a fed in Miami, said he was looking for you, said he could get your record wiped clean if you'd do a job for him. He seemed to think you've never been a cop, and that cops in LA have it out for you."

Leon was the only one to react, a harsh bark of laughter. "No shit, dumbass. He never was a cop, never ratted on you, and the LA cops sure as shit have it out for him. Fuck man, his face alone can show you that."

Rome turned wide eyes back to Brian. "This true B?" a slight nod. "Then what the hell were you doing with them cops in Barstow after I got arrested?"

"He was working on a deal for you, you dumb fuck!" Letty burst out angrily, taking an angry step toward the man. "You got arrested and he was left to clean up your mess in the hopes you wouldn't get life. He's been forced to work undercover since you were arrested until he quit, a week ago, and got the shit kicked out of him for his efforts."

Shocked, Rome sank down onto his knees, staring at Brian. "Is that true Brian? They've had you by the throat all these years, cos of me?"

Brian offered a shaky nod. "Yeah man, I'd finish one job and they'd throw me in for the next. I found out a while ago that what they'd told me in the beginning, about being able to pin you for murder, was a load of crap. But I didn't have anything else to do or anywhere to go, so I kept at it. Then they sent me in against these guys," he waved a hand to show he meant everyone around them. "…I couldn't do it. Just…the thought of it made me sick. So I checked they were safe and I told the cops to shove it. They shoved alright."


End file.
